The meeting was held at the Emergency Operations Center at Benicia Fire Station 1, commencing at 1535 hours. The list of attendees will be found at the end of these minutes.
Action Item Review - see below.
BERT Marion McKown
Marion displayed the BERT recruiting flyer that has been posted in selected Southampton Shopping center stores, Prudential Real Estate and others.
27 of the 35 persons enrolled in the Jan. 4, 2005 BERT training class have confirmed their plans to attend.
All BERT team captains are invited to attend the Rancho Benicia BERT team meetings.
Len Corbaley reported that the BERT White Management Zone team has met and developed plans to inventory their neighborhood. He also reported having a U.S. Coast Guard antiterrorism homeland security program presentation on power point that is available for showing to any interested groups.
RACES/ACS Art Mayoff
The 1.2 GHZ Backbone Radio Link antenna was installed in Fire Station 11 approximately two weeks ago. The antenna is not yet hooked up.
The digital radio is now operational. Russ Clifton is seeking a surplus City computer. He will check on the possibility that the Police Department may have one. Russ is checking on a source of funding.
The radio repeater on order is expected to be received by the local supplier on Dec. 25, 2004.
The next radio exercise will be held Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005, commencing at 0900 and concluding by 1200. Bob Mutch suggests that BERT team captains participate in the exercise.
BPD Chaplains/Faith Community Jerry Pollard
The faith community has been surveyed to identify facilities that could be made available as emergency shelters. Approximately 80% can serve.
Jerry will distribute the BERT recruiting flyer to community churches.
Police Department Officer Patti Baron
Officer Baron's goal is to get the Neighborhood Watch captains into the loop on pertinent police matters via email. BERT team captains will also be informed of those matters communicated to Neighborhood Watch captains.
Neighborhood Watch Lance DuPuis
Lance noted that the low crime rate enjoyed by the community makes it difficult to maintain public interest in neighborhood watch matters.
Bob Mutch suggested linking up BERT team captains with Neighborhood Watch captains to communicate common objectives, information, etc. Lance recommended that BERT team captains take the initiative to effect this coordination.
Red Cross Leslie Kvasnicka
The Red Cross will evaluate local churches as potential emergency shelters.
Chief Trimble, Benicia Police Department
Chief Trimble suggests an information program be developed to educate all citizens on how to establish "safe homes" for children, disabled, elderly, etc. in the event of a community emergency. He suggests defining when and how neighbors and their pets would be conveyed to emergency shelters. He also suggested identifying special utility requirements throughout the community during emergencies power, heat, water, etc.)
Chief Hanley, Benicia Fire Department
Chief Hanley stated that he expects that Benicia will share equally with Rio Vista in the 2005 state funding of $30,000 for community emergency response teams in Solano County. That funding may be used by BCCC as well as BERT.
A rental storage facility has been established for storage
and assembling of BERT cache materials. The balance of the cache
storage boxes is expected to arrive imminently.
Chief Hanley, continued
The Fire Corps concept is already established in Benicia, as
well as fire department volunteers. There is no need for a new
and separate Fire Corps.
Mike White suggests we register our program in order to be eligible
for grant money.
Fire Department Volunteers Mike White
There are currently 30 volunteers, with an additional 10 having expressed interest.
Plans are underway to expand the volunteer facility, with completion in th summer of2005.
Conclusion Bob Mutch
Bob wants to increase involvement in BCCC by the School District, as well as the business community.
The meeting concluded at 1656.
The next meeting is scheduled at the same time and place on Wednesday, January 26, 2005.
List of Attendees
Name Affiliation
Patti Baron Benicia Police Dept.
Jean Colomy BERT
Len Corbaley BERT/BARC
Leon DuPuis Neighborhood Watch
Ken Hanley Benicia Fire Dept.
Leslie Kvasnicka Red Cross
Art Mayoff BERT/RACES/VIP
Marion McKown BERT
Joe Murray BCCC scribe/BERT/VIP
Bob Mutch BCCC Chairman
Jerry Pollard BPS Chaplains/Faith Community
Jim Trimble Benicia Police Dept.
Mike White BFD Volunteers
Attachment
Action Items from Dec. 22, 2005 Meeting of the BCCC
New
1 RACES/ACS
1.1 Search for sources to fund computer for digital radio
Russ Clifton.
1.2 Provide scenario for January 29 radio exercise Chief
Gant.
2 BERT
2.1 Announce January 4 new BERT class on City web site
- ?
2.2 Identify possible uses for 2005 state community emergency
team grant money - all.
3 Other
.1 Establish a first quarter 2005 goal to develop a safe
house program all.3
4 Fire Corps
4.1 Initiate registration of volunteer firefighter program
with state Mike.
Old
5 BERT
5.1 Explore the feasibility of requesting and accepting public
donations Bob Mutch.
5.2 Identify certified BERT members to shadow new BERT training
class as preparation as future trainers Capt. K.C. Smith.
6 Old BERT Action Items, continued
6.1 Furnish Chief Hanley, Bob Mutch and Officer Baron with copy
of BERT roster spreadsheet Jean Colomy
6.2 Include reflective tape and management zone maps in each cache
box Fire Dept.
7 RACES
7.1 Determine what maintenance support the County could provide
for the radio repeater after warranty expires Russ Clifton.
7.2 Provide a Fire Dept. observer at the January 29 radio exercise
Chief Gant.
8 Neighborhood Watch
8.1 Explore feasibility of reporting police calls by geographic
areas with police records clerk Lance DuPuis.
8.2 Provide an article for publication in the BERT Newsletter
on inventorying neighbors for special skills, equipment, etc.
useable in an emergency Lance DuPuis.
9 Red Cross
9.1 Add list of Red Cross volunteer openings to City web site
Art Mayoff with Leslie Kvasnicka.
Submitted by Joe Murray.